The rate of expansion of solar power is astonishing. The past couple issues of Green Energy Times reported the amount of new solar capacity in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
We canvassed a number of installers in the area and got responses from five of them, Solar pro, All Earth Renewables, Revision Energy, Sherwin Solar, and Clean Energy Collective. Growth from 2012 to 2013 averaged 15%, ranging from a marginal decline to 100% growth, depending on such factors as changes in state supports.
Projection for growth between 2013 and 2014, however, is dramatic. All Earth Renewables expects to grow from 647 kW installed in 2013 to 5942 kW in 2014, in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Clean Energy Collective expects to grow from 144 kW to 4386 installed in Massachusetts and Vermont. Combined, the five companies project growth of 335% this year.
We received a couple of really good comments from the installers as well. Solar Pro’s response said, “The biggest sources of carbon emissions in Vermont come from oil and propane space heaters and automobile tail pipes. Instead of using oil and propane to heat our buildings, Vermonters should install efficient ground- or air-source heat pumps, powered by electricity from solar panels. We should also drive hybrid or electric cars that could be charged with power from solar panels.”
The response from Revision Energy included, “If every municipality in Maine dedicated just 25 acres of land to solar PV generation, the state could power 100% of its energy needs (transportation, homes, heating + electricity, AND manufacturing) from solar!”
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